Permit Expediting 101: Understanding The Role And Value Of A Permit Expediter

Building new houses or undertaking other infrastructure projects in a city requires due diligence on the part of the constructors. The municipal authorities divide the area under their jurisdiction into several zones and subzones. Construction companies have to get all the permits and satisfy all the conditions laid out by the municipal authorities before they can proceed with the construction.

Thus, it would not be wrong to say that complying with municipal construction rules and regulations is tiresome. Complying with all the norms requires thorough legal knowledge of all the rules. Moreover, it requires familiarity with the municipal officers to get the permits on time. Hence, a professional LA permit expediter may help your company get construction permits on time.

What Crucial Role Does A Permit Expediter Play In The Construction Business?

Source: permitadvisors.com

Getting all the permits for the construction to proceed as per a predetermined schedule is essential to prevent massive losses. If a particular project is stuck in the shackles of rules, there will be a huge waste of resources. Hence, it becomes necessary to take the help of a professional permit expeditor.

Expeditors Know About The Laws That A Construction Company Has To Follow

Conceiving and completing a construction project in the heart of a city like Los Angeles is an uphill task. Municipal authorities create different overlay zones and zone codes that a construction company has to comply with.

An overlay zone applies an additional level of planning over the properties in municipal areas. Overlay zones are important because they promote conservation and improve the vitality of the city with respect to its scenic, cultural, and architectural value.

Zoning codes are land use regulations that allow or disallow a certain type of construction in a given zone. Municipal authorities also release zoning maps that make it easier to understand what sort of construction is viable in which zone. For instance, for a city with a seashore, the area up to two or five hundred miles from the shore is treated as a fragile zone.

Shorelines may not be suitable for heavy construction; hence the deployment of heavy construction machinery may be completely forbidden by the municipal authorities.

Likewise, there are norms for the FAR or the floor area ratio that a construction company has to adhere to. The FAR is the ratio of the total usable area to the total area of a building.

Thus, there are a plethora of rules pertaining to the construction of a building that a construction company has to comply with. Further, these rules become more complicated because they vary from one city to another.

Expeditors Are In Liaison With The Regulatory Authorities

Getting the permits at the right time requires more than due diligence and compliance. Most construction companies fail to get the requisite permits on time because they are not well acquainted with jurisdictional professionals. However, a permit expeditor stays in touch with the jurisdictional professionals in a given area; hence, they can get the permits easily and within a short time.

Expeditors Represent Their Clients At Zoning Or Architectural Review Meetings

Construction companies have to periodically attend review meetings with municipal authorities. Most of the time, construction companies are not aware of all the rules related to the zones and overlay zones, so they prefer to utilize the service of an expeditor to attend such meetings as their representative.

Benefits Of Hiring A Permit Expeditor

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There are several reasons why building owners, architects, and engineers in a construction company may need the services of a permit expeditor. Some of the ways how a permit expeditor may help are discussed below.

Permit Expeditors Help Adhere To Strict Timelines

The budget of any construction project depends on the estimated time of completion. If the construction is not completed on time and the property is not ready for sale on time, it not only leads to material losses but also a loss of reputation. So getting the requisite permits on time helps architects or construction companies adhere to the pre-decided project completion timelines.

Moreover, they give their clients an estimated timeframe within which a permit can be obtained so that they do not overpromise to prospective property owners.

Permit Expeditors Ensure Legal Compliance

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Any building has to comply with several regulatory norms apart from those related to zoning. For instance, a building must comply with norms related to fire safety and energy efficiency. Apart from these, disaster management-related measures need to be taken before a project can get approval from the regulatory authorities.

The energy efficiency and disaster preparedness rules vary from zone to zone, so keeping all the regulations in mind while creating a blueprint is a challenge. However, if a company hires the services of a permit expeditor, their life becomes easy, and they do not have to spend sleepless nights worrying about legal compliance.

Hiring An Expeditor Improves The Profitability In The Long Term

Hiring an expeditor may look like an unnecessary expense initially; however, it proves to be a highly profitable investment in the long term. The equipment needed for constructing a building, like a crane or a cement mixing machine, is usually rented by a company.

If the construction work is stalled over legal hassles, then the construction company has to pay rent for the equipment, like cranes, without being able to use them. So it is always prudent to get an accurate idea of the timelines and avoid potential legal roadblocks to ensure maximum profitability.

Conclusion

Source: accupermit.com

There is no denying that hiring a permit expeditor is a worthwhile expenditure that most construction companies undertake. However, when hiring a permit expeditor, care should be taken to discover their expertise in the local market and their relationship with key stakeholders like municipal authorities.

Furthermore, their access to building code databases and past records of managing building projects must also be factored in before hiring someone. And finally, the fees that they levy are also important, and only if the fee is commensurate with the services should the deal be finalized.